Electrical conductor



ELEQTRHCEL CQNDUGTQR Donald K. Crampton, Marion, and Henry Burg- B'rass & Copper Go. Conn, a corporation huff, Waterbury, Conn, assignors to Chase Incorporated, Waterbury,

a. Drawing. Application April as, 1038,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical conductors formed of copper-base alloys.

It is an object of this invention to produce electrical conductors formed of copper-base alloys and having a combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength.

We have found that xarious forms of electrical conductors, such, for example, as conductor-wires of various types, welding electrode tips, electrical connections, etc, when formed of the copperbase alloys hereinafter set forth, and heat-treated, possess a combination of high electrical con ductivity and high tensile strength.

The expression, combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, does not necessarily mean that each is particularly high, considered alone, but that the combination of these properties is attractive or high from a practical standpoint. In other words, the con-- 29 ductivity is high for a given tensile strength, or

vice versa.

We have found that electrical conductors can be given a combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength when made 25 of copper-base alloys containing by weight, nickel from about 0.25% to about 8%, phosphorus from about 0.05% to about 0.6%, the ratio by Weight of the nickel to phosphorus being from about 3.5 to 1 to about 7 to 1 and preferably 3g being about 5 to 1, metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin and zinc, the cadmium not exceeding about 1.5%, the tin not exceeding about 1.5% and the zinc not exceeding about 10% the total per cent of cadmium and/or tin and/or zinc being such that the cadmium tin zinc is not greater than about 1, and copper, the copgo per, nickel, phosphorus, cadmium and/or tin and/or zinc constituting about 93% or more of the alloy, with or without one or more a rlditional elements in such substantially-innocuous nounts as do not seriously impair the desired properties of the alloy.

The additional elements may range up to a total of about 7%, depending on what elements are added, some being more innocuous than others. Thus, while each of the elements alumi num, silicon and manganese should not be present much in excess of about 0.1%, and chromium should not be present much in excess of about 0.2%, silver, which is comparatively innocuous, may be present to as high as about 5%. Other elements may also be present. Thus, for example,

plus plus Serial No. 204,914

elements which improve the machinability with very may little effect on conductivity and strength. he added, such as lead about 2%, tellurium about 1.5%, selenium about 1.5%, sulphur about In absence of silver, the total of all the said additional elements may be as high as about With silver, the total may be as high as about 7%.

A more preferred range for the alloy is for the nickel to be from about 0.5% to about 2.5% and the phosphorus from about 0.03% to about 0.4%,

with

the ratio of nickel to phosphorus the same as given for the first stated alloy, the facts con cerni ng cadmium, tin, zinc and additional ele merits being the same as in the case of the first stated alloy range, except as follows. With regard to the metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin and zinc, the cadmium does not exceed about 1%, the tin does not exceed about 1 and the zinc does not exceed about the total per cent of cadmium and/or tin and/ or zinc being such that the zinc 6 cadmium tin 1 plus 1 plus is not greater than about 1.

Seven preferred conductors may be advantageously made from specific alloys having nominal or approximate composition of the elements as follows:

Alloy number 1 2 3 a 5 6 7 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 1. O 0 0. 0 0. 5 0. 3 0 1.0 0 0.5 0.5 0 0.8 Zinc 0 0 2 0 2 2 2 Copper Substantial y the remainder Conductors made in the form of wire from the above seven specific alloys have tensile strength and conductivity as follows:

specific alloys were heated or annealed at about F., then quenched and given a second heat= ing or annealing at about 800 F., and after cooling, drawn cold eight B 8; S numbers hard (a reduction of area of 84%). I

The nature of the effects produced by the various heat treatments and cold working may be illustrated, for example, in the case of the first specific alloy given above, in which a wire made therefrom, when annealed at 1350 F. and quenched, has an electrical conductivity of 37% I. A. C. S. and a tensile strength of 42,000 lbs. per square inch, and then after the second annealing at 800 F. and cooling, it has an electrical conductivity of 59% I. A. C. S. and a tensile strength of 63,000 lbs. per square inch, and after the cold drawing of eight numbers B & S hard, it has an electrical conductivity of 55% I. A. C. S. and a-tensile strength of 112,000 lbs. per square inch.

In general, conductors made in accordance with the present invention are heated or annealed at some high temperature in the range of 1200 F. to 1600 F. with a subsequent quench followed by a reheating or second annealing treatment at a lower temperature in the range from 500 F. to 1000 F. The low temperature treatment results in improved strength and conductivity.

An alternative treatment is to cool slowly from the 1200 F. to 1600 F. annealing temperature, which would also result in increased strength and conductivity.

We have also found that increased tensile strength is added to that obtained by heat treatment, by cold working the conductor either between the 1200 F. to 1600 F. annealing and quenching treatment and the subsequent 500 F. to 1000 F. heat treatment, or after the entire heat treatment. The amount of cold working may be greater or less than that used for thewires made of the specific alloys hereinbefore given.

Alloys made in accordance with the present invention can be readily cast by the usual castin practice to produce sound, tough and ductile cast ings.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. An electrical conductor characterized by a combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and formed of a copperbase alloy and treated to give the said combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and containing: nickel from about 0.25% to about 3%; phosphorus from about 0.05% to about 0.6% and the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus being from about 3.5 to 1 to about '7 to 1; metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin and zinc, the cadmium not exceeding about 1.5%, the tin not exceeding about 1.5% and the zinc not exceeding about 10%, the total per cent of cadmium and/or tin and/or zinc being such that the cadmium tin zinc 10 plus plus 1 is not greater than about 1; and copper; the said copper, nickel, phosphorus, cadmium and/or tin and/or zinc constituting 93% or more of the al- 10y.

2. An electrical conductor characterized by a combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and formed of a copper-base alloy andtreated to give the said combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and containing: nickel from about 0.5% to about 2.5%; phosphorus from about 0.08% to about 0.4% and the ratio of the nickel to phos phorus being from about 3.5 to 1 to about 1 to 1; metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin and zinc, the cadmium not exceeding about 1%, the tin not exceeding about 1% and the zinc not exceeding about 6%, the total per cent of cadmium and/or tin and/or zinc being such that the cadmium 1 is not greater than about 1; and copper; the said zinc us 6 plus copper, nickel, phosphorus, cadmium and/or tin 93% or more of the al tion of high electrical conductivity and high ten-' sile strength, and containing: nickel from about 0.25% to about 3%; phosphorus from about 0.05% to about 0.6% and the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus being about 5 to 1; metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin and zinc, the cadmium not exceeding about 1.5%, the tin not exceeding about 1.5% and the zinc not exceeding about 10%, the total per cent of cadmium and/or tin and/or zinc being such that the cadmium tin plus zinc is not greater than about 1; and copper; the said copper, nickel, phosphorus, cadmium and/or tin and/or zinc constituting substantially all of the alloy.

4. An electrical conductor characterized by a combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and formed of a copperbase alloy and treated to give the said combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and containing: nickel from about 0.5% to about 2.5%; phosphorus from about 0.08% to about 0.4% and the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus being about 5 to 1; metal selected from a group consisting of cadmium, tin and zinc, the cadmium not exceeding about 1%, the tin not exceeding about 1% and the zinc not exceeding about 6%, the total per cent of cadmium and/ or tin and or zinc being such that the is not greater than about 1; and copper; the said copper, nickel, phosphorus, cadmium and/or tin :{Iid/or zinc constituting substantially all of the 5. An electrical conductor characterized by a combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and formed of a copperbase alloy and treated to give the said combination of high electrical conductivity and high tenplus % cadmium p sile strength, and containing: nickel about 1%:

phosphorus about 0.2%; cadmium about 1%: and copper; the said copper, nickel, phosphorus, and cadmium constituting substantially all oi the loy. 6. An electrical conductor characterized by a combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and formed of a. copperbase alloy and treated to give the said combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and containing: nickel about 1%;

5 phosphorus about 0.2%; tin about 1%; and copper; the said copper, nickel, phosphorus, and tin constituting substantially all of the alloy.

'7. An electrical conductor characterized by s.

combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and formed of a copperbase alloy and treated to give the said combination of high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength, and containing: nickel about 1%;

phosphorus about,0.2%; zinc about 2%; and copper; the said copper, nickel, phosphorus, and zinc constituting substantially all 01 the alloy.

DONALD K. CRAlWPTON. HENRY L. BURGHOFF. 

